How to get help in a big box hardware store or lumberyard: carry a pair of well-broken-in leather gloves.
I’ve felted small objects (mittens) in a stand mixer using the dough paddle.
Soap, very hot water, low speed. Prepare for a lot of sloshing about.
This is a quick, amazing trick that works as long as your lead is long enough, as it instantly releases as soon as they stop pulling. It doesn’t/cannot hurt the dog. In my pet-sitting days I used it for young dogs that outweighed me by about half again and would easily have pulled me flat.
Toody and Muldoon (Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne), “Car 54, Where Are You?” TV show
The “Holy Grail” balance checking the comparative weights of the witch and the duck.
Confusing ‘ (feet) and “ (inches). From “This is Spinal Tap”.
Buddy Ebsen and Fess Parker, “Davy Crockett”
(Irene):
- I know I’d like warm greens, and complementary colours to the greens
- yellows, oranges, violets
- would apple-ish greens work with lavenders and purples? don’t like greens with too much blue
(Carol): Golden ochres/tan/orange/violet
(reference for dyeing)
A. “Sloth”
Crayon Green, Lemon Yellow, Fuscia, Cerulean Blue; crochet too tight along bottom
B. (Unnamed) Fuscia, Sky Blue, Cerulean, Crayon Green, Lemon Yellow; crochet was too tight in fuscia area
Apple green to the purples tends to go through brown, though the purplish brown at the top is interesting.
C. “November” Midnight Blue, Brown, Black
The Midnight Blue goes to the navy (not fond of here), the sample is darker than I’d like, and there’s not much variation.
D. (Unnamed) Fuscia, Cerulean, Sky Blue? Midnight Blue?
E. Lemon Yellow, gold, Crayon Green, Cerulean?, Brown?
Maybe a touch of Fuscia
F. “Carnival”
Fuscia, Lemon Yellow, Gold, Cerulean Blue
November 2
swatches: crochet single stand of bootie yarn
One: try again for yellow/orange/violet.
Lemon Yellow/Gold/Fuscia/Sky Blue
Two: try agan for apple green/lavender/purple.
Lemon Yellow (no gold, that went brown with the green)/Crayon Green/SkyBlue/Fuscia
Three and Four: try these two progressions:
Gold, Brown, Fuscia, Black, Cerulean Blue.
Black, Cerulean Blue, hint of Brown, water, water
Five: Black/tones for the CC (smaller amount)
Will lack subtlety but eh
Bootie single strand for less wound-together blanks: clearer color progression
might crochet the results, if it looks promising try Myrtle
I: Gold, Brown, Fuscia, Black, Cerulean Blue.
L. and M. as above, with Lemon Yellow, Sky Blue
Yarn needed by weight – 2 skeins twisted together = 200 gm
Front/back (with contrast yarn but no sleeves) = 362 // 200 + 162 minimum – do 200 + 175
One sleeve = 113; 2 = 226 // 200 + 25 minimum- do 200 + 25
Contrast yarn – original was 178 gm, have about 50 gm left; do 200 grams, 2 original skeins
Body 1 segues into Body 2, which continues into the unneeded X section. The blanks will be roughly proportioned to the sweater body.
Sleeve 1’s blank will be longer/narrower than the body, so that the painted dye coordinates across. The extra at the bottom of Body 2 (175 for body, 25 for sleeves) will plug in there.
The contrast color will be two single-strand skeins vat-dyed separately and then plied together.
Each sweater will use 8 single-ply Sakkie skeins.
Notes for Myrtle Revisited
construction roughs, taken from private conversations with Irene
False-color mock-up working out short-row shoulder wedge(s). Orange lines are the highest point across my shoulder and my natural shoulder seam.
Contrast yarn defines short row wedge.
Blue yarn is my natural shoulder seam.
The distances from any point on the long sides of the wedge to the floor are the same (white arrows), so adding Front/Back/Sleeves from the insides of their cakes – original tops of blanks – puts the bands in sync.
The short end is one band plus its two bracketing CCs: 12 stitches
JMCO 27 + 23 (24?) + 27 = 77 (78?) with dark gray contrast color.
The double-row join between front and back will be a straight-ish line rather than scalloped. Can’t be helped.
Put the back neck stitches on a cable and as work goes around the neck, loop around the cable at each end of the inner wedge to add a stitch
When the wedges are done, switch to Front (with neck shaping) or Back cakes and work down the body (add specs).
The swoops of the scallops are dependent on direction (top-down or bottom-up); they will be opposite to the first Myrtle.
Document further once actually cast on
Check set of pattern across center front/center back: where does k3tog fall?
January 13 sample: CC JMCO 80 sets: 27+ 26 +27 (= 160 on both needles), size US 6 / 4 mm both sides, 22” mini cable; my gauge is 5spi.
Put (back) half of sets on cable. Place running markers every ten stitches on front, working from shoulder. Count from shoulder on Front and place 2 markers at 27 (10 + 10 + 7) [26 in center for back neck] mirror second side
Flip markers every row
Begin row shoulder wedges with separate balls, maintaining pattern between markers
Longer set of short rows:
From shoulder, for longer short rows: work MC across to neck, then over to 5 sts from end, twin, work back to neck edge. Place back neck stitches on cable. Each time you reach the neck edge, wrap yarn around neck cable.
Might be better to pick up later? Note to self: no, idiot, choose the right cable to wrap over.
Second side: mirror longer short rows. Pick up twins on next row.
Row 1 Myrtle sequence (pattern of ten x2, knit seven) … (knit seven, pattern of 10 x 2)
Row 2 knit back, decreasing one at neck edge: slip 1, k to last 3 sts, knit2tog, k1 … slip 1, k2tog, knit to end
Row 3 continue pattern, working 2tog at each end NO DO NOT DECREASE (k2tog, YO, k1, k3tog, k2, YO, k2; (complete pattern), k3, k2tog, k1 … k1, capturing loop of yarn over neck cable, k2tog, k3, (complete pattern), pattern except k last 2tog
Row 4 knit back, slipping first stitch
Row 5 (pattern for last 9 sts), (pattern), k4 … sl1, k3, mirror
Row 6 work back, slipping first stitch
Row 7 decrease by k2tog at each shoulder, NO DO NOT DECREASE otherwise follow pattern
Row 8 work back, slipping first stitch
Second set of short rows: work from neck edge to 10 from sleeve end, twin, work back to neck. Pick up twin on next row. Add pattern details!
Row 9 [1] sl1, work one more set across and back, ending at right shoulder
Row 10 [2] Work two rows CC
Wedges. (Pattern will continue in stockinette areas)
User error: the neck edge wraps on one side were on the back rather than the neckline cable. Stitches a bit loose after moving/will know better on real one.
instructions for sample:
Start pattern on Kate’s Row 3, not Row 1!
Begin band with MC, one ball for each side. Cast-on 2 st at center front each, continuing pattern.
Row 1 (was YO, k3, k3tog, k3, YO, k1) now starts with 8 sts, so k1, k3tog, k3, YO, k1, (pattern for 10 sts), k4, cast on 2 … cast on 2 (around neck cable), k4, (pattern), YO, k3, k3tog, k2, LI, k1
Row 2 work back, casting on 2 at each CF. [8, 10, 6 + 2, mirror]
Row 3 (was k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2) now starts with 8 sts, so k1, LI, k3tog, k2, YO, k2 (pattern for 10 sts), k1, YO, k2, k3tog, cast-on 3 … cast on 3, k1, k3tog, k2, YO, k2 (pattern x 2)
CORRECT EARLIER SHOULDER DECREASES – add back 2 st each side of shoulders
Row 4 work back, casting on 2 at CFs
Row 5 (was k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3): pattern x 3, k2, cast on 2 … cast on 2, k2, pattern x 3
Row 6 Slip1, work back (10, 10, 10, 6) … (6, 10, 10, 10)
Row 7 (pattern k3, YO, k3tog, YO, K4): pattern x 3, k6, cast-on 2 … cast-on 2, k6, pattern x3
Row 8 work back, casting on 2 at CF (10, 10, 10, 8) … (8, 10, 10, 10)
Rows 9-10, CC knit across and backg
with US 3 needles, pick up neck sts. (Raw) Back 28, right wedge 11, to CF 8, to left wedge 3(!), left wedge 9 With CC, Pick up adding st so back = 28, right wedge = 12, to CF 12, to left wedge 12, left wedge 12 = 76.
more?
Switch to 2×2 rib
Notes: Test sample is good enough (unblocked). 80 stitches each f&b, pattern tracks.
The shoulder wedges need pattern completely across, but they sit perfectly.
Start pattern on Row 3 of Kate’s pattern so it segues into the front.
Suspect the JMCO will be a flat line, as on the first Myrtle due to tension being balanced on each side rather than free to pull into scallops. Think this happened on all projects but have not bothered to check.
Had about half the CC for the height of the neck binding. Did a simple bind-off at the neck edge due to laziness, will use Jeni’s stretchy one as per first Myrtle.
Myrtle Revisited, Instructions
https://www.simple-knitting.com/horseshoe-lace.html
Kate Davies’ bottom-up Myrtle sweater is based on the Horseshoe Lace pattern, which is what I have modified. Mine is top down.
[Specs on dyeing yarn]
January 16: CC JMCO (two cakes) 80 sets: 27+ 26 +27 (= 160 on both needles), Size US 6 / 4 mm both sides, 22” mini cable; my gauge is 5 spi.
Put (back) half of sets on cable. Place running markers through cast-on every ten stitches, working from shoulder. Count from shoulder on Front and place 2 markers at 27 (10 + 10 + 7) [26 in center for back neck] mirror second side
Shoulder wedges are worked with the tail end of separate sleeve balls: all front stitches are worked from the front half of JMCO.
Neck stitches are put on a separate cable as soon as accessible
Right wedge is worked, capturing stitches over the neck cable
Then Left Wedge is worked with the end of the other sleeve ball
The wedge patterns are not reversible as the right is worked from shoulder in and the left, from neck out
Right Wedge Row 1/2/3 Short Rows:
(original horseshoe pattern, Row 3: k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2)
k3tog = slip first two sts knit wise, k 3rd through back loop, pass slipped stitches over
Right Row 1 (27 stitches) (pattern), (pattern), k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k.
Right Row 2 (short row) slip 1, work back to 5 sts before shoulder, twin st, turn.
(Original horseshoe pattern, Row 5: k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3).
Right Row 3 (full 27 stitches):
(pattern starting 5 in, and work 2 tog at neck: k2, YO, k2, (pattern), k2, YO, k1, YO, k1 k2tog
Right Row 4 capture neck cable on first stitch, k to shoulder (k twin as one)
(Original Horseshoe pattern, Row 7: k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k 4)
Right row 5: (pattern), (pattern), k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k1
Right Row 6 capture neck cable on first stitch, k to shoulder
(Original Horseshoe pattern Row 1 – skipping contrast rows – YO, k3, k3tog, k3, YO, k1)
(Missed noting a couple neck edge reductions)
Right Row 7: work 2 tog at neck edge (pattern with LI rather than YO at start), (pattern), YO, k3, k3tog, k2
Right Row 8 capture neck cable on first stitch, k2tog, k to shoulder = 10, 10, 3
(Original Horseshoe pattern Row 3: k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2)
Right Row 9: (pattern), (pattern), k3 = 10, 10, 3
Right Row 10: Work 2tog at neck edge after capturing cable, work to 10 from shoulder, Twin stitch, turn
Right Row 11, Short row: (k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3) (k3).
Right Row 12, capture neck cable on first stitch, k2tog, k to shoulder = 10, 10, 2
Right Row 13: (k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k4) (k2tog) = 10, 10, 1
Done with first ball from tail of sleeve!
Right Rows 14-15 CC: knit across & back as per established pattern, LI beg of neck = 10, 10, 2
Change to Front Ball, continue to work front using patterns given below, extending neck edge each time by 2 st until total of 40. Use old tail hanging out the front for the cast-on stitches at the end of each pattern row.
Main Color:
Round 1: move running marker to the back yo, k3, k3tog, k3, yo, kl
(k3tog: slip 2 sts together knit wise, knit next stitch tbl, pass slipped sts over)
Round 2: knit move running marker forward
Round 3: kl, yo, k2, k3tog, k2, yo, k2
Round 4: knit
Round 5: k2, yo, kl, k3tog, kl, yo, k3
Round 6: knit move running marker to the back
Round 7: k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k4 move running marker forward Round 8: knit
Contrast Color:
Round 9: slip first stitch knit
Round 10: knit
Ready for Left Wedge
Left Wedge Row 1/2/3 Short Rows:
Far end of Sleeve Cake
(original horseshoe pattern, Row 3: k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2)
k3tog = slip first two sts knit wise, k 3rd through back loop, pass slipped stitches over
Left Row 1 (27 stitches) k7, (pattern), (pattern) ends at shoulder.
Left Row 2 sl1, work back to neck
Left Row 3 (short row) capture neck cable, k2tog, work back to 5 sts before shoulder, twin st, turn.
(Original horseshoe pattern, Row 5: k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3).
Capture cable, k2tog, k4, (k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3) (k2, YO, k1, k2tog) = shoulder end of short row.
Twin next stitch, turn.
Left Row 4 work back to neck.
(Original Horseshoe pattern, Row 7: k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k 4)
Left Row 5: capture cable, k2 tog, k3, (k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k4) (k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k4) = shoulder.
Left Rw 6: sl1, work back to neck edge
(Original Horseshoe pattern Row 1 – skipping contrast rows –YO, k3, k3tog, k3, YO, k1)
Left Row 7: capture cable, k4, (YO, k3, k3tog, k3, YO, k1) (YO, k3, k3tog, k3, YO, k1) = shoulder
Left Row 8: sl1, work back to neck edge
(Original Horseshoe pattern Row 3: k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2)
Left Row 9: capture neck cable on first stitch, k2tog, k2, (k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2) (k1, YO, k2, k3tog, k2, YO, k2) to shoulder = 4, 10, 10
Left Row 10: sl1, work back to neck edge
(Original horseshoe pattern, Row 5: k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3)
Left Row 11: capture neck cable, k3, (k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3) (k2, YO, k1, k3tog, k1, YO, k3)
Left Row 12: sl1, work back to neck
(Original Horseshoe pattern, Row 7: k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k 4)
Left Row 13: Short Row – capture neck cable, k2tog, k1, (k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k 4), twin next stitch, turn
Left Row 14: sl1, work back to neck
Left Row 15: capture cable, k2, (k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k 4) (k3, YO, k3tog, YO, k 4)
Left Row 16: sl1, work back to neck, LI next to last stitch. = 10, 10, 4
Tie on CC and Change to Front Ball, continue to work front using patterns given, extending neck edge each time by 2 st until total of 40. Use old tail hanging out the front for the cast-on stitches at the end of each pattern row.
